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Scammers are increasingly using fake charities or impersonating real charities to take advantage of people’s generosity and compassion, with losses reported to the ACCC’s Scamwatch increasing steadily over the past four years.

SCAMwatch is encouraging Australians who are considering donating to bushfire appeals to make sure they double check whether the appeal or its organisers are legitimate so that their generosity reaches victims, not scammers.

The operators behind a scam targeting small businesses with false claims about advertising services for publications with a philanthropic slant have been ordered to pay $750,000 in penalties following court action by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).